Andriy Yarmolenko, West Ham’s Divine Intervention

Fully fit and now bang on in form, Andriy Yarmolenko is primed for a West Ham return to form and it couldn’t come soon enough.

Any result from a Chelsea team as strong and in form as Frank Lampard‘s crew were would have been enough to get any Hammer excited. A draw, as ugly as it could have been, would have West Ham level on points with Watford outside the relegation zone with an easier schedule ahead to close out the season.

Instead, this different-look Hammers team stuck to their game plan, popped up with offensive pressure, and capitalized on awful defending to not only get a result but to pry all three points away from the Blues thanks to Andriy Yarmolenko.

With six goals and 27 matches, Yarmolenko hasn’t been a revelatory goal scorer for West Ham, but if you examine the context of the goals he’s scored, he has a knack for pushing the Hammers over the top for key results.

His 89th-minute winner is just the latest chapter in Yarmolenko’s crucial goals record for the Hammers, which includes the opening and winning goals against Everton in 2018, the opening and winning goal against Manchester United in 2019, and his key opening goal against Bournemouth this season as well.

His left foot is a telegraphed weapon that seems to still work even though everyone knows he’s going to flip the ball to his strong foot for a shot. Still, he’s always threatening and finds another gear or two when he’s got a chance on goal.

I don’t know if we’ll see him as a regular starter or an impact sub for the rest of the season, out injury record would lead me to believe that anything is possible if not required when key players miss out. His versatility, however, could see either role suit him well.

With Sebastien Haller back in contention, Jarrod Bowen still playing extremely well, and Michail Antonio proving he’s an integral part of the Hammers’ success, Yarmolenko could be the extra flair we need to get these other pieces clicking better with prime service and clinical finishing. Regardless of how he’s being used, he’ll be remembered for his immensely important goal against Chelsea. Here’s to many more!